Dr. Sumita B. Mitra, a 3M ESPE corporate scientist, will receive the American Chemical Society's Great Lakes Regional Industrial Innovation Award for her role in inventing 3M™ ESPE™ Filtek™ Supreme Universal Restorative. The award, to be presented at the organization's Great Lakes regional meeting in October, honors recipients whose creative innovations have contributed to the commercial success of their company and to the good of the community.
Under Dr. Mitra's leadership, a multi-disciplinary 3M invention team employed nanotechnology to develop 3M™ ESPE™ Filtek™ Supreme Universal Restorative. Combining nanomeric filler particles, for polish retention and other optical properties, with nanocluster filler particles, which allow for advanced results in paste handling, strength and wear, the resulting restorative is available in 30 shades and four opacities.
During the research and development of Filtek Supreme universal restorative, Dr. Mitra's team developed two different types of nanofiller technologies, reached technical milestones in particle stabilization and particle drying, and developed new chemical and processing technologies that are expected to have broad implications.
Dr. Mitra holds a Ph. D. in organic/polymer chemistry from the University of Michigan (1977) and earned her Masters Degree in organic chemistry from the University of Calcutta (1972). She joined 3M in 1978 as a senior chemist. In 1998, Dr. Mitra was elected into 3M's prestigious Carlton Society, the highest 3M award given for lifelong contributions to research and development. She holds more than 47 patents, six of which relate to Filtek Supreme universal restorative.
